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Outdoor Azalea Bonsai

Posted by neptunesgardener 6 philly (My Page) on
Sun, Apr 22, 07 at 10:37

I recently moved into a new house and have a small azalea
shrub that just does not fit in with my long term goals for the garden.I have never done bonsai but thought this might be a good time to start,as it would be a shame to waste this otherwise beautiful plant!Anyway I want to dig it up and put it into a pot to begin its training.It's about 18" tall and has been in the ground for about 5 yrs,near as I can find out.My main question is when would be a good time to do this?I would like to get this done,but on the other hand I don't want to interfere with the impending blooms.Would it be a good time right after bloom,or should I wait for the fall?Also any info on soil mixes and fertilization would be appreciated.


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RE: Outdoor Azalea Bonsai

Wait til after flowering. It'll do best in light shade or filtered sun rather than full sun, and in acidic soil rather than clay or sand - anywhere roses grow is good, and it'll need to be kept well watered. You could mix in some bark mulch under and around the rootball when you plant it. Once a plant is in the ground though, apart from using an appropriate fertilizer (high middle number for flowering plants) with a low pH for acid, amendments won't really help much unless the choice of location is good to begin with.


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RE: Outdoor Azalea Bonsai

Thanks for the info.Perhaps I didn't explain clearly,but this plant is headed for a life in a pot!Anyway,thanks again!
John


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